Pambula's busy Samaritan Shop helps locals in need

By
DENISE DION

It looks likely that the Samaritan Shop will match, if not surpass the funds raised by the Somali Shop in 2012/13. Run by the Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast (SJASC) over $30,000 has been raised in just 14 days and 100 per cent of it will be going to help local people in need.

Pambula's busy Samaritan Shop helps locals in need

Megen, left and Rebecca Shaw, of Melbourne with Carol Cloke and Molly her dog, of Merimbula were browsing at the Samaritan Shop.

Samaritan Shop organisers and members of the Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast, John Liston, left and Mick Brosnan with the gym equipment that had been donated to the shop.

It
looks likely that the Samaritan Shop will match, if not surpass the funds
raised by the Somali Shop in 2012/13. Run by the Social Justice Advocates of
the Sapphire Coast (SJASC) over $30,000 has been raised in just 14 days and 100
per cent of it will be going to help local people in need.

The
Samaritan Shop is housed in the Masonic Lodge, Toalla Street, Pambula. Open the
door and walk in to an Aladdin’s cave of pre-loved furniture, books, jewellery,
linen, china and toys. There are gems such as the china tiger valued at much
more than its asking price, a Victorian style hall stand and Parker leather
sofas. On Thursday a complex weight exercise machine had just arrived on the
back of a trailer and there were hopes that it would be sold before the day was
out.

Mick
Brosnan, of Millingandi, one of the organisers of the shop and a member of the
SJASC said that the donations to the shop had been excellent.

Mr
Brosnan said: “An Eden agency had to downsize and we were given pavers, solar
power equipment, generators, pumps and fridge. The first week we spent a lot of
the time just unloading it all.”

That
one source of donations helped the Samaritan Shop to make $10,000, Mr Brosnan
said. The shop and organisers have also been helped by Sapphire Coast Hire who
gave the fencing around the yard, the Bendigo Bank which is paying the rent and
power bills for the shop and the Masons.

The
money made at the shop will all be used to support people in the Bega Valley
who need help. Mr Brosnan explained that there were two issues that were
pushing low income families into crisis and they were the cost of rent and the
cost of power.

The
shop will support those in need with help towards rent and the distribution of
food. Mr Brosnan said that this wasn’t something they were doing alone but were
working in with other agencies and groups.

The
bustling atmosphere of the shop was evident on Thursday as buyers
eagerly strapped items such as leather lounges on the back of a truck and
sellers came in with details of something to donate.

Organiser
and member of SJASC, John Liston, of Pambula, said: “This is like a community
event. A lot of people come in for a chat.”

All
donations over $2 are tax deductible. The shop is open from 9am-5pm until
January 31.

Contact
Philip Jacobs on 6495 0365 if you would like to help in any way or for more
information.